


Colors

by midillu



Series: Voltron Highschool AU Series [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Blue Boi Seeks Hug From Emo Boyfriend, Bullying :(, Depression, Eventual Fluff, Hunk & Lance (Voltron) Friendship, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Lance Needs a Hug, Langst, Latino Lance (Voltron), Lowkey Shatt, M/M, Mentions of Anxiety, POV Keith (Voltron), Protective Hunk (Voltron), Protective Keith (Voltron), Protective Pidge (Voltron), Sad Lance (Voltron), Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-04
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2018-10-14 22:44:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10545598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midillu/pseuds/midillu
Summary: First, Keith noticed, it was the quiet. Suddenly, Lance wasn't being as boisterous as usual. It wasn't really abrupt, if he thinks about it, but it did worry him. As long as he had known him, Lance wasloud.He was obnoxious, outgoing, comedic, and everything that Keith wasn't. It used to bug him, annoy him to no end, when the guywouldn't. Shut. Up.But he had since learned, that that was just who Lance was.Lance liked being in big groups. He liked people. He loved making people laugh, and he loved to tease. That was his personality, and his extroverted tendencies made him approachable. So when Lance stopped hanging out with most people, started sticking to Hunk more and more, and started talking less and less, it didn't take an idiot to figure out that something was wrong. And Keith could definitely be an idiot sometimes.-Or-Something is seriously wrong with Lance. And Keith is determined to get to the bottom of it- whatever it takes.





	1. Colors

**Author's Note:**

> Song is Colors by Halsey
> 
> **PLEASE READ THE OTHER INSTALLMENTS OF THIS SERIES BEFORE YOU READ THIS ONE!! IT HELPS EVERYTHING MAKE WAYYY MORE SENSE ^.^**
> 
> Okay, so I don't know how long this is going to be. This is probably going to be the one decently long fic that I write for this series. I don't know where I'll end it, or even if I'll turn it into anything more than a two or three chapter story. Anyways, enjoy!!

_Everything is blue,_ _His pills, his hands, his jeans,_  
_And now I'm covered in the colors,_  
_Pull apart at the seams_  
_And it's blue,_  
_And it's blue._

____

_Everything is grey,_  
_His hair, his smoke, his dreams_  
_And now he's so devoid of color_  
_He don't know what it means_  
_And he's blue,_  
_And he's blue._

____

* * *

First, Keith noticed, it was the quiet. Suddenly, Lance wasn't being as boisterous as usual. It wasn't really abrupt, if he thinks about it, but it did worry him. As long as he had known him, Lance was _loud._ He was obnoxious, outgoing, comedic, and everything that Keith wasn't. It used to bug him, annoy him to no end, when the guy _wouldn't. Shut. Up._ But he had since learned, that that was just who Lance was.

____

Lance liked being in big groups. He liked people. He loved making people laugh, and he loved to tease. That was his personality, and his extroverted tendencies made him approachable. So when Lance stopped hanging out with most people, started sticking to Hunk more and more, and started talking less and less, it didn't take an idiot to figure out that something was wrong. And Keith could definitely be an idiot sometimes.

____

It probably took him way too long to come to a conclusion that one of his- dare he say it- closest friends was going through something. He thought it wasn't a big deal at first. Figured he was just in a funk, and he'd be fine in a couple of days. It wasn't until the second realization hit him (like a ton of bricks), that he finally started to piece things together.

____

And the second realization was this; Lance had stopped _smiling._ He didn't laugh, he didn't joke anymore, he was just in a never-ending daze it seemed like. And Keith didn't like it. Lance had lost his signature cocky smirk, and it was like his personality had done a total one-eighty. He was acting like _Keith._ And it was unsettling, to say the least.

____

Keith tried to ask Hunk about it, but the big teen just gave a small shrug and a sad, tired smile in response. Keith tried Pidge next, but neither of them could come up with a viable reason for the hispanic to be so out of character.

____

Keith was going to try to talk to Shiro, but his brother was so oblivious sometimes, even more so than Keith. And Matt wasn't even worth a try, he was an oblivious ball of sunshine, so focused on his own stuff he couldn't really see past it. Not that he was a bad guy, he was actually pretty cool sometimes, he just had a one-track mind. Kind of like Pidge when she got focused on something. But whatever. He could figure this out.

____

* * *

____

Two days later, Keith was still trying to figure it out. Things hadn't gotten better, in fact, they'd pretty much gotten worse. Keith never thought he would admit it, but he missed the sound of Lance's voice. Because the other teen had almost completely ceased utilizing his vocal chords. And it was both worrying, and pissing Keith off. What was his deal?

____

No one knew. He gave up thinking about it, and decided to go straight to the source.

____

And then he talked himself out of it.

____

So he went to see Hunk a second time, determined to get an _actual_ response this time. But his second venture turned out to be just as fruitful as the first one. All Hunk said, was that Lance wasn't talking to anyone- _including_ Hunk. And just when he was getting ready to call for an intervention, Lance started going back to his usual self. After two weeks, Lance was talking again. Granted, it wasn't much, but it was steadily getting better. Keith chose to ignore the way Pidge and Hunk were hovering over Lance, like mother hens. What mattered was that Lance was doing better.

____

After a week of slow progress, Lance was starting to smile again. It had been close to three weeks, but the hispanic teen was finally starting to sound like himself again. And Keith was grateful for that- happy even. Except something was still off about him. Another week and Lance was mostly back to his old self, except for a few things that Keith couldn't help noticing.

____

His smiles didn't always reach his eyes.

____

He was flighty and nervous the majority of the time.

____

Every so often, he'd stare off into space, and someone would have to shake him out of his daze.

____

He wasn't eating a whole lot.

____

More often than not, he'd start to say something, catch himself, and say something neutral, instead of saying something obnoxious without thinking, like he used to.

____

Most of these things were normal. For anyone but Lance.

____

And it rubbed Keith the wrong way. He didn't like it.

____

But he didn't know what he could do about it, as Lance wouldn't let himself be alone with Keith. They used to hang out often, at lunch, after school, on weekends; doing anything and everything. But Lance didn't even talk to him anymore. He talked to everyone else just fine, but was just short of blatantly ignoring Keith. And that pissed him off.

____

He had been _worried,_ for fuck's sake. And Lance had come up with their "code". And Lance had been the one who almost always initiated their conversations, and he was the one who planned most of their "play dates", as he referred to them, just to piss Keith off.

____

And... Keith was lonely, he realized. He missed the obnoxious guy that annoyed the hell out of him. That was surprisingly sweet at times. That always tried his hardest to make people laugh. That had sought Keith out, even though Keith had been a complete asshole.

____

Lance had brought him out of his shell, brightened his world. And the light that Lance had brought, was fading. Something was dimming him, muffling his light, _hurting Lance._ And that made Keith livid. He couldn't allow this to continue. He refused.

____

So he'd get to the bottom of it; whatever was bothering Lance.

____

Because nothing was going to stop him.

____


	2. Mean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance avoids Keith, Keith second-guesses himself, walks in on a situation he wasn't expecting, and we (almost) get a revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty! So, with the song lyrics thing that I've been rolling with, I'm still using it, though I'm not using Colors all the way through. I might go back to it for like the last chapter, but for now it more depends on the chapter. This chapter I'm using Mean, by Taylor Swift. I also might use this song more than once, though maybe with different lyrics.

_You, with your switching sides_  
_And your wildfire lies and your humiliation_  
_You have pointed out my flaws again_  
_As if I don't already see them_  
_I walk with my head down_  
_Try to block you out 'cause I never impress you_  
_I just want to feel okay again_

_____ _

_Someday I'll be living in a big old city_  
_And all you're ever gonna be is mean_  
_Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me_  
_And all you're ever gonna be is mean_

_____ _

_Why you gotta be so mean?_

_____ _

* * *

_____ _

Three days later, Keith was still trying to get a chance to talk to Lance. The jerk wasn't even being subtle, just short of running away the second he saw Keith. It made him livid, as he second guessed everything he had ever thought about Lance.

_____ _

Maybe he had never really cared about Keith; maybe it was just a big joke? Maybe he had pitied Keith, but had gotten tired of dealing with his shit?

_____ _

The truth was, with every passing day, Keith was getting more and more lonely. He couldn't understand why he was so upset that Lance was ignoring him; he had never cared about anyone other than Shiro before. He was used to being alone, but... he wasn't okay with it anymore. He missed Lance's company, like he had never missed anyone before.

_____ _

He missed the obnoxious way the latino boy would shove himself up in Keith's face, the impromptu hugs every once in a while, the rare serious conversations they have, the ones where they could talk about whatever. The way he listened to Keith. Like no one ever had before.

_____ _

If he was being honest, Lance had helped a lot with his anxiety. His panic attacks had been slowly subsiding, becoming more and more rare, but suddenly they were back in full force.

_____ _

And Shiro was worried about him too. He'd actually crawled in bed with the older male a couple of times over the past week, seeking comfort as he whimpered and cried, shaking uncontrollably. Shiro hadn't seen it that bad in a long time, but every time he tried to broach the subject, Keith avoided it.

_____ _

But it's not like he had anyone else he could talk to. Hunk was more of Lance's friend than his own. He was really cool, from what Keith had seen, but they weren't close by any means. Through Matt and Shiro, Keith and Pidge had gotten left to their own devices with each other on more than one occasion, but it was more like silent companionship. They enjoyed spending time with each other, but it wasn't as vocal as his time with the others. They were comfortable just sitting together. Sometimes playing video games, and sometimes he'd even help Pidge with whatever she was working on. Though he wasn't usually that much help.

_____ _

Deep down, he knew that it wasn't his fault, that there was something deeper going on with Lance, but he couldn't help feeling abandoned. He was new to the 'friendship' thing that Lance seemed to be so well acquainted with. As far as Keith knew, Lance could make friends with just about anyone. But Keith was about as social as a hermit, and didn't have the luxury of an extensive friend group.

_____ _

He was practically borderline stalking Lance as the week went on. He couldn't help it, he felt his eyes being automatically drawn to the other teen. He knew the others had probably noticed, but he'd stopped caring. It wasn't until Shiro finally cornered him about it that he managed to get his thoughts out in the open. He'd been bottling everything up, and he was surprised to find that talking about it actually helped him organize his thoughts.

_____ _

Thursday night found him sitting in his room, head in his hands with his elbows on his desk, lost in thought. It took Shiro clearing his throat four times before he jolted up, realizing his brother was leaning against his doorway, watching him quietly.

_____ _

"You alright Keith?" Shiro studied him carefully, and Keith avoided his gaze. He didn't feel like talking, and he hoped in vain that Shiro would just take the hint and leave.

_____ _

He didn't. Big shocker there. Instead, he pulled up another chair, sitting next to Keith.

_____ _

"Is it about Lance?" He spoke softly, resting a hand on Keith's shoulder.

_____ _

"I just, something's not right with him," Keith sighed, running a hand through his hair. He gave in and just started talking, he knew Shiro would get it out of him one way or another, his brother had a knack for getting him to spill information that he didn't really want to reveal. An extremely twisted form of manipulation, as he never realized he was doing it. "He's not himself."

_____ _

"Do you know what happened?"

_____ _

"No. And he's avoiding me. After he- after everything, he's avoiding me like the plague."

_____ _

"Do you know why?"

_____ _

"No. He just, he won't come within 10 feet of me Shiro! How am I supposed to know what's wrong with him, how am I supposed to help him, if he won't come anywhere near me?!" Frustrated was an understatement for him, and it showed in his body language. He was bursting at the seams, holding himself back from ripping his hair out or throwing something or just screaming. He was silently fuming, and Shiro's comforting hand became firm.

_____ _

"I don't know what happened either, Keith, but you can't be angry with him right now. It's obvious something's wrong, and he's hurting. If you blow up at him, it'll probably make things worse."

_____ _

"I know that..." Keith let out some sort of mixture of a growl and a whine, as he clenched and unclenched his fists.

_____ _

"I'm not done. Anyone can see that you care about him, and that he cares about you. Whatever he's dealing with, he probably doesn't want to drag you into it-"

_____ _

"That's bullshit! Why would he-" Keith interrupted the older teen, only to be interrupted himself.

_____ _

"Keith, let me finish please," Shiro rolled his eyes, reaching out to grasp Keith's other shoulder, forcing his brother to look him in the eye. "Lance probably needs you. And your moping isn't helping anyone. If I've learned anything in my time knowing the two of you, you're both more stubborn than donkeys. You've both decided what the right thing to do is, and you refuse to choose a different course of action once you've started down a path. And since it's obvious that, for whatever reason, he won't come to you, you need to go to him. Don't be rash about it, or he'll try to run away, but don't take too long. He needs you. Remember- Pa-"

_____ _

"Patience yields focus, I know," Keith mumbled, looking down at his hands. Shiro's lips quirked slightly into a smile, and he ruffled Keith's hair.

_____ _

Shiro stood, glancing back at Keith to find the raven chewing on his bottom lip, lost in thought. He smiled to himself, closing the door quietly as he returned to his own room.

_____ _

* * *

_____ _

Keith's gait was purposeful, as he made his way through the halls. It'd taken him over half the day to track down Lance, though it had also given him half the day to rehearse what he was going to say to Lance when he finally managed to corner him.

_____ _

He turned the corner, and froze. He'd found Lance alright, but he'd also found the infamous Lotor, and his posse. The jerks were well known for being the richest and snootiest pricks in the whole school, and were also the biggest bullies. Lotor had Lance shoved up against the wall, smirking and humiliating Lance. Keith saw red, absolutely furious that anyone would dare hurt _his_ Lance.

_____ _

He was about to beat the shit out of the bullies, when he registered just what Lotor was telling Lance.

_____ _

"...wouldn't mind, would you? You are a fag, after all. Might as well put that obnoxious mouth to work. Maybe then we can finally get you to shut up. And you wouldn't want your little boyfriend to suffer for your own idiocy, would you? We could always tell everyone about you two. Though I bet he's already sick of you. You just keep running your mouth, and you don't know when to stop. Man, I'd hate to be him. Having to deal with you all the time. But we can always put you to use. Plus, I bet those lips would look so pretty wrapped around my-" His blasphemy was cut off by a hard punch to the jaw, and Keith felt a satisfactory crunch under his fist.

_____ _

Lotor clutched his jaw, glaring and looking ready to return the favor, when a few of the teachers rounded the corner. The white-haired male glanced nervously back at the adults, before gesturing to his 'friends' and hurrying down the hall. It wasn't until they were out of sight that Keith turned back to Lance, only to find him sagging against the wall, looking equally relieved and ashamed.

_____ _

Lance avoided his gaze, biting his lip and looking like he had something he wanted to say, but was either afraid to, or didn't know how. However, Keith didn't really give him a chance to come up with something, as he gently grabbed Lance's arm, ignoring the way he flinched at the raven's touch, and tugged him down the hall. "Come on."

_____ _

"W-where are we going?" Lance asked nervously, looking to Keith.

_____ _

"We're skipping."

_____ _

"We can't do that!"

_____ _

"Why not? The last period is a free period. And you've already been gone most of today anyways."

_____ _

Keith glanced back, and Lance looked like he wanted to argue, but he kept his mouth shut.

_____ _

When they reached the entrance of the school, Keith let go of his arm in favor of leading Lance. There were times when the latino boy had to jog to keep up with Keith's purposeful pace, but he still stuck close to Keith.

_____ _

Lance was so focused on wondering where they were going, that it took him a second to realize Keith was entering a little shop that he had never noticed before. He looked back, and realized they weren't five minutes from campus, and scurried after Keith into the... ice cream shop?

_____ _

His eyes widened as he followed Keith up to the counter, and listening to the raven's confident tone.

_____ _

"One cone with cotton candy, and a cup with sherbet." Lance stepped forward, just behind Keith, looking over the other's shoulder at the girl behind the counter. On any other day he would be immediately flirting, but one glance at the look she was giving an oblivious Keith, and he had sidled up next to the raven, gripping his arm and pressing their hips together. Keith gave him a curious look, but didn't comment on it, and the chick seemed to get it, silently scooping the rest of their ice cream. Lance didn't want to question how he'd gone from a nervous wreck to a jealous-and-protective boyfriend figure, so he didn't.

_____ _

Keith didn't let him even entertain the idea of paying, pushing the cotton candy into Lance's hands in order to distract him. Lance halfheartedly complained about the dirty trick, but they soon settled back into silence, savoring their respective treats.

_____ _

"So why sherbet?" Lance asked curiously, before adding on to it a beat later. "And how'd you know I like cotton candy?"

_____ _

"You've talked about it before, plus you like sweet things. I like tart things."

_____ _

Lance giggled a little. "A bit sour, like your personality?" Keith rolled his eyes, but smiled all the same. They reached a small park, and sat down on one of the benches, mindlessly nibbling their ice cream and watching the few people littered over the green terrain. Lance was smiling as he watched an elderly couple walk hand in hand through the park, while Keith watched a dog playing fetch with its owner.

_____ _

The silence was comfortable, at first. As the minutes passed, Lance started to get more and more nervous, as Keith started to casually glance at him every once in a while.

_____ _

Finally, just as he was about to speak, the raven beat him to the punch. "I won't apologize for punching him. He was hurting you."

_____ _

"N-no," Lance stuttered, jerking to look up at Keith before resuming studying the scenery. "I should thank you, actually, you were my knight in shining armor." His tone, normally teasing by this point, was almost flat.

_____ _

They fell back into a heavy silence, the unspoken question hanging in the air. Lance's knee bounced as he waited nervously for Keith to speak.

_____ _

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Keith spoke quietly. "How long have they been..." He drifted off, and Lance studied his hands, responding before Keith could find the words to finish his thought.

_____ _

"I mean, I've always had been bullied," Lance admitted quietly. "It just got really bad about a month ago..."

_____ _

"That makes sense," Keith nodded, leaning back and turning slightly in order to face Lance a little better. After a moment, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and holding his head in one hand, looking frustrated. "Hey, just... Just what have they been saying to you?" His voice faltered for a moment, then hardened.

_____ _

"It's-"

_____ _

"Don't finish that if you're going to say 'it's nothing', because we both know that's bullshit." Keith sat up suddenly, making Lance jump.

_____ _

"I, Keith..." Lance pleaded, knowing exactly what Keith's reaction would be if he told him.

_____ _

"Lance," Keith's expression was the epitome of stubborn irrationality.

_____ _

Lance sighed, and buried his head in his hands, defeated. "Fine."

_____ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter actually ended up being longer than I'd anticipated, at around 2,300 words, so I ended up cutting it short. Sorry for the ending, but I promise you will get a real explanation in chapter 3. And honestly, I haven't seen much of the original Voltron, so until September I can't say I know much about Lotor, but for the purposes of this story he is mostly just a name, used in place of some irrelevant name that my brain comes up with.


	3. All of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance gets positive reinforcement, and our gay bois hug it out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, I was prepping for a competition on top of my schoolwork. Plus no motivation to write. Yay. Aaaand I have sooo many prompt ideas for this series because my brain loves to fuck me over. ANYWAYS. Hope you enjoy this, basically some self-indulgent character analysis, because Lance needs the reassurance.
> 
> Note- Song is All of Me, by John Legend

_How many times do I have to tell you_  
_Even when you're crying you're beautiful too_  
_The world is beating you down, I'm around through every mood_  
_You're my downfall, you're my muse_  
_My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues_  
_I can't stop singing, it's ringing, in my head for you_  


* * *

"Lotor found out that I'm... that I'm gay," Lance's voice was quiet, and when he tentatively glanced up, Keith's eyes were wide.

"Y-you're... really?" Lance nodded and bit his lip, starting to get a little defensive, but was instantly defused by Keith's quick reassurance. "Not that I mind, I mean, it's none of my business."

Lance relaxed slightly, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before starting to speak, knowing that if he stopped for even a millisecond, he'd lose all of his nerve. "At first, it wasn't that big of a deal, just a few passing comments and stuff, and a couple of notes in my locker. Then it started to get worse, and Lotor singled me out. I guess I was caught off guard, and before I knew it, I had started to believe him.

"I know I'm obnoxious, and loud and a bit much for most people, but I guess I never really thought about it until it was staring me in the face." Lance swallowed hard, pushing through the emotions trying to overwhelm him. "He told me that I was annoying, and that nobody really liked me, that I was careless with my words and that it was a miracle anyone still pretended to be my friend. He said I didn't even have any redeeming qualities to make up for all my faults, and that I'm just a useless waste of space-"

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Keith was staring intently at his hands, his face blank, but Lance noticed that his tone was a mixture of frustration, and regret.

"I thought I could handle it," Lance told him honestly. "And I was able to, for the most part, until apparently they got tired of my reactions and decided to, well, change tactics." He was silent for a moment, and Keith looked over at him, silently begging him to continue.

"They got more physical. Their words got... harsher, I guess. It kind of hit me like a brick," Lance laughed bitterly, looking up at the clouds, continuing. "It really made me think. 'What if I really am as obnoxious as they say I am. What's keeping everyone around? Why would they even like me anyways? How long until they've had enough?'" Keith was about to interrupt, when a small, fond smile softened Lance's features. "Pidge and Hunk finally confronted me about it. I swear those two are sharper than any knife I've ever seen. I tried to go back to normal after that, with those two monitoring me closely, but I couldn't keep the doubts out of my mind."

"I noticed." Keith mumbled, 'inspecting' his gloves. "Suddenly Mr. Obnoxious was filtering his comments, instead of just blurting out the first thing that came to mind. It just felt _wrong._ That gorgeous smile of yours became all but extinct, and you stopped laughing. It was all so fake, so forced, so... so _wrong."_

"Yeah, I picked up on that," Lance teased his choice of words, and he rolled his eyes, smiling. "And are we going to talk about the fact that you just said my smile was 'gorgeous'?"

"Don't change the subject," Keith felt his cheeks flush, as he pushed through the embarrassment. "A-Anyways, will you listen to me for a minute?" He waited for the affirmative nod before he continued. "You can be pretty annoying, obnoxious, loud, oblivious and distracting, but you can also be incredibly sweet thoughtful.

"You're loyal, helpful, goofy, and it feels like you've always got a smile on your face. You can be intelligent, and observant, even when it seems like you're not. You're aware of people's feelings, you're compassionate, and you're always there for your friends.

"Honestly, I don't know what our group would do without our ball of sunshine. Lord knows Shiro and I are too depressing for our own good, Pidge is an antisocial hermit when you're not forcing her to interact, and Hunk would probably become an insecure mess. You're our glue, you keep us together, and we all need you, for different reasons.

"You're Hunk's best friend. He admires you more than you could ever see. It's obvious in the way he talks to you, he probably envies your outgoing personality, and ability to talk to just about anyone. You help him prove his intelligence, and give him the courage to stand up and fight for what he believes in. You give him the push he needs to follow his dreams.

"You constantly bug Pidge, and she seems to get irritated with you a lot, but it's hard not to notice the way you mother her. You're the one who's most likely to drag her away from her work, forcing her to eat and sleep. She's grouchy in general towards you most of the time, but it's obvious she appreciates what you do for her, she just doesn't know how to convey it sometimes.

"Whenever Shiro talks about you, he's always got this fond smile on his face. You're like a little brother to him, and he's always proud of your accomplishments. Even if that's beating him at a video game he sucks at anyways, or getting an A on an assignment; whenever you're proud of yourself, he's proud of you too.

"And honestly, when I'm having a bad day, you always manage to make it better. So really, there's a lot more to you than just being an obnoxious guy. That's _definitely_ a part of you, but that's just it. _A part._ It doesn't define who you are, it's just one of your character traits.

"And honestly, what those jerks have to say about you doesn't matter. What matters is the people who care about you. They don't even know you. We do. And if you'd told us what was going on, if you'd just let us in, we'd stand up for you. We'd be there for you. I'd be there for you.

"You're the one who came up with that stupid code thing; it's worthless if you don't use it. So please, let me in. Let me help you." Keith glanced up, freezing when his eyes caught the tears streaking down Lance's face. The next thing he knew, Lance's arms were around his neck, as the latino sobbed into his shoulder.

"Thank you, thank you thank you thank you," Lance mumbled, over and over, and Keith let himself relax, wrapping his arms around Lance's torso. They stayed like that for a while, Keith trying to comfort Lance as best as he could. When Lance finally pulled back, sniffling, his eyes shining with emotion as he looked Keith in the eye. "You don't know how much that meant to me."

Keith blushed, looking away, unsure how to respond. Finally, he raised his head, meeting Lance's gaze once more. "Will you stop avoiding me now?" Keith's voice was hesitant, almost hopeful.

Lance's face broke out into a grin, and he laughed, a familiar twinkle back in his eyes. "Of course, don't want you to die from loneliness over there. God knows what you'd do without me." His shit-eating grin didn't leave even after Keith gave him a halfhearted slug to the arm.


	4. Leave Out all the Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bets are placed, relationships are revealed(?!), and Shiro reflects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was supposed to be one thing, and turned into something completely different. However, I'm happy how it turned out. This marks the end of this installment, and the next part will be uploaded soon. Everything's been so hectic here, but with summer kicking in I'll (hopefully) have a lot more time to write. But yeah! Hope you enjoy, and R&R if you do! Your feedback makes me happy ^.^
> 
> Note- The song mostly only relates to the last few paragraphs of this chapter, but I wanted to use it anyways. Song is Leave Out all the Rest by Linkin Park.

_I'm strong on the surface_  
_Not all the way through_  
_I've never been perfect_  
_But neither have you_  


* * *

Things settled down quickly. The two were back to constantly competing with each other by the next day, as if nothing had happened. The six teens had gotten together for a group outing, hanging out at the nearest mall to kill time before going to watch one of the movies that had just come out. Pidge had been hesitant to join them, what with all the tension between their fire-and-ice couple, but was pleasantly surprised to find them being absolutely _insufferable._

Watching them fight over who could puff their chests out further, who looked better in that shirt, and currently who could stuff the most food court french fries in their mouth, Pidge leaned towards Hunk, her eyes never leaving the explosive duo.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually missed this. It was unbearable watching them skirt around each other." Hunk chuckled at her comment, leaning back in the metal chair he was occupying.

"Yeah, it's surprisingly refreshing. Though look! Lance is up to 27!" Pidge rolled her eyes, but Hunk didn't miss the hint of a smile playing on her lips.

The movie was relatively uneventful, considering the fact that four of them were gladly putting up with Keith and Lance. They didn't miss the way the two were looking at each other, smiling and laughing in a way they never had before.

They were walking back to their respective homes, Lance and Keith far ahead of them in the midst of another competition, when Shiro leaned over to Matt.

"Twenty bucks says they're together," Matt opened his mouth, but Pidge spoke up before he could respond.

"No way, those idiots are going to take _forever,_ plus Keith is still denying his feelings. I say a month, minimum."

"Are we going on the actual date they got together, or the date they finally tell us?" Hunk asked.

"Date they got together," Pidge decided.

"Then I say two months. Lance usually flirts with anything that moves, but he gets all insecure and overthinks things when it comes to someone he actually has serious feelings for." Hunk grinned, he knew his best friend. As long as Keith doesn't make the first move...

"Two weeks," Matt decided to chip in as well. "And we should make another bet as to who makes the first move." He got some nods of agreement. "I'm going with Lance."

"Two months for me, and Lance," Hunk reiterated, leaning over Pidge's shoulder; she had her phone out and was recording all the bets. When she finished, she looked up, staring at Shiro expectantly.

"I guess I'll stick with my previous bet, but I'm going to say if it's any time in the next week, or if they're already together. And probably Lance." Pidge nodded, typing in his response, and voicing hers as she typed it in.

"One month, Keith," Shiro raised an eyebrow at her choice.

"Really?"

"Lance is the type to beat around the bush. He already knows his feelings, but he thinks Keith doesn't feel the same. Keith hasn't figured it out yet, but he's the type to immediately address an issue as soon as it arises. He doesn't like waiting." She reasoned, effectively shutting down any questions about her decision. "Besides, if you guys are right, you have to split 20 bucks between you, and if I win, I just made 60." She grinned cheekily, and Matt rolled his eyes, cuffing her affectionately.

They heard an indignant shout, and looked up to find that Lance had shoved Keith off the sidewalk. Lance took off towards them, Keith close on his heels. Pidge snickered, and a few others laughed as well, shaking their heads. Shiro chuckled, slipping an arm around Matt's waist.

"No way," Hunk's eyes were wide, and Lance's jaw dropped. Pidge just punched her brother lightly, grinning at his blush.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" She pouted, and Matt spluttered.

"It's only been a week," Shiro reassured, and Pidge nodded.

"Wait, who asked who out?" Keith spoke up, curiosity in his eyes.

"Matt," Shiro answered, smiling affectionately at the older Holt.

"Dammit," Pidge swore, and Keith looked strangely victorious. The happy couple looked confused, and Hunk took pity on them.

"Pidge and Keith had a bet going on which of you would finally just ask the other out." Shiro rolled his eyes, but Matt looked perturbed.

"What have I told you about making bets?" He chastised, and she rolled her eyes.

"You didn't seem to mind a few minutes ago," the younger Holt smirked, and Matt sighed in defeat.

"Lance, your mouth is still open," Hunk murmured gently, tugging his friend out of the daze he was in.

"W-when did this happen?!" He whined, upset at being out of the loop.

"You're just oblivious," Keith nudged him, grinning.

Lance continued to pout until they finally got back to the school, where Lance and Hunk headed back to their dorm. The remaining four stuck together until they reached the bus stop, where Shiro and Keith had to wait. After the Holts' were out of site, Shiro turned to Keith, smiling sheepishly when he realized Keith had been watching his dorky antics towards his new boyfriend.

"W-what?" He asked, only a little defensively, and his brother just shrugged his shoulders.

"I didn't say anything."

"I know the look on your face," Shiro was just short of pouting, and Keith couldn't help laughing.

"Yeah, I know. But really, I'm happy for you. I haven't seen you smile like that since, well..."

"Since Dad died?" Shiro murmured softly, and Keith nodded, staring off down the street.

"Keith..."

"The bus is here," his voice was soft, as he cut his older brother off, signaling that he was ready to change the topic of conversation.

They were silent the rest of the way home, but before Keith slunk off to his room, he hugged his brother. It took Shiro a moment to hug back, smiling and wrapping his arms around his brother's shoulders. Keith pinched Shiro's arm a little when he was done hugging, and Shiro laughed a bit as he rubbed the sore spot.

"Tsundere!" He called after the younger raven.

"Whatever," Keith threw over his shoulder.

Shiro acknowledged how hard it was for Keith to show affection sometimes, his brother had never really been social. When their dad died it had been hard on both of them, but it really caused Keith to shut down. He didn't say more than two or three words at a time for almost a month afterwards, leading to Shiro constantly fussed over his younger brother until he finally got fed up with the nagging and blew up, letting everything that had been festering inside him boil over.

After he finished letting everything out, he collapsed in Shiro's arms and just cried. Shiro had held him for a long time, letting him cry for almost an hour, and then just talking with him for another two. Keith started to revive a little after that, slowly letting down a few of the walls he had built around himself, at least with Shiro. Keith still tried to pretend to be okay even when he wasn't, a habit Shiro had been trying to get him out of, but it was a work in progress. Keith didn't want to worry him, and while he understood that, he still wanted Keith to rely on him. Nevertheless, his brother had come a long way. It took him a long time to let anyone else in, and really it had only been recently that he had started to talk and truly laugh again.

With Matt and Pidge, then Lance and Hunk, he was starting to reach out to people again. It wasn't a lot, but it was more than Shiro had been hoping for. A new start had been just what the brothers had needed. And hopefully, Lance would help Keith heal. Shiro had seen how Lance had brought his brother out of his shell, and he got a little more lively every day. Shiro was grateful to Lance, in ways the Latino boy would never be able to understand. But that was okay. Because what really mattered was Keith, and if Lance was helping Keith, then Shiro was satisfied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who will win the bet?? Comment below who you think will win, and kudos and a shoutout will be given to anyone who guesses correctly (plus a reasonable request, if you'd like to make one, if there's anything in specific that you can think of)! I'm always taking requests too, if you have any songs you'd like to suggest, I'm open. I have lots of prompts in my head, but I'm always in need of song ideas to help fit where I want to take this.


	5. Not Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith seems a bit off to Lance during school, and no one else seems to notice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I decided to try something new for this chapter!! Those of you that know this series will notice that the lyrics aren't at the top! I decided to incorporate them into the actual chapter for this part, so we will see how that goes!
> 
> Hope you enjoy, comments make me happy and motivated!

School on Monday was business as usual. They were boisterous, and it took them all of ten minutes before everyone was sick of their bickering.

To anyone else, the two looked back to normal, but Lance felt something was off. Sure, Keith was bantering back and forth with him, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was still... wrong.

It was in the way Keith moved, the subtle hesitation in everything he did. His reactions weren't immediate and impromptu like they should've been; it was like he was in water, with everything slowed. Even though it was by barely half a second, Lance noticed.

He didn't know why, but suddenly he was hyper-aware of everything Keith did. Scratch that- he did know why. It took him forever, and a period of blatant denial, but he had finally realized that he had a crush on his rival. No, not his rival, his _friend_. Or, at least, he thought they were friends. Sometimes it was hard to tell.

* * *

Keith was doing his best. He was trying really hard to keep it cool. But it was hard. _'This just had to happen on the day I can finally talk to Lance normally again.'_

His chest tightened, and he forced down the Doubt that was desperately trying to crawl up his throat. He wouldn't ruin this. He _couldn't._

He managed to keep it cool through the first two periods, but by the end of third period the anxiety was too overwhelming.

He needed to get out.

When he finally left the classroom, Shiro was waiting for him outside. Like he always did. because their third period classes were next to each other. And fourth period was lunch. Shit.

He couldn't deal with this. Everything was starting to set in, and it was hard to breathe.

"You ready?" His brother's voice calmed him a little, just enough that he could pretend he was fine. It'd have to do, but it wouldn't last long. How the hell was he supposed to make it through lunch?

* * *

Lance didn't get it. Why didn't anyone else see what he saw? Keith was _shaking. _And he wasn't even angry or anything. He talked just enough that no one even batted an eye, passing it off as Keith just being a moody teen. And yeah, Keith did seem like he was PMS'ing most of the time, but this was different. He couldn't figure out what it was though.__

__When Keith finished and left early, Lance followed him with his eyes. When he turned back to face the table, he found Shiro's eyes on him._ _

__"You noticed, didn't you," It wasn't really a question, but Lance nodded slightly anyways._ _

__"What's wrong with him?" His voice was quiet, trying to keep their conversation as private as possible as they sat at a table with three energetic (and nosy) individuals._ _

__"It's probably his anxiety," Shiro spoke softly, a hint of heartbreak in every word. "He won't talk to me; he doesn't want to worry me. It's always been like this, he tries to deal with everything himself, and refuses to ask for help. He's gotten a lot better, but I think old habits die hard, and he doesn't really know what to say to me."_ _

__"What can I do? I don't like seeing him like this," Lance admitted, looking down at his hands._ _

__"Go to him. I think you'll figure it out. You've done a pretty good job so far, so trust your instincts," Shiro placed a comforting hand on his shoulder._ _

__"You sound like you're sending me off to the Hunger Games, but with really terrible advice," Lance quipped, smirking good-naturedly. Shiro chuckled as well._ _

__"That sounds about right. Now go!" He made a shooing motion with his hands, and Lance grinned and saluted before standing up. He was about to hurry after Keith, when he suddenly turned back to Shiro_ _

__"Um, so where do you think I could find him?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. He didn't like the embarrassment of actually having to ask._ _

__"The music room," Shiro smiled, and Lance nodded. "It's where he goes to be alone, and the professor doesn't seem to mind. It's his little safe haven. It was the first thing he sought out when we got here."_ _

__"Got it," Lance slid out of his chair, walking hurriedly, intent on finding Keith._ _

__"Where's he going?" He heard Pidge ask, but he was out of earshot before Shiro could reply._ _

__When he exited the cafeteria, it took him a moment to remember where the music room was. He had only been there a few times, he didn't take any music classes, and wasn't that musically gifted anyways. He could dance, fairly well if he did say so himself, as it was one of the things his family liked to do together, but he couldn't sing well or play an instrument. He kinda wanted to learn guitar, but he had never found anyone patient enough to teach him._ _

__But even if he couldn't really play an instrument, he was probably one of the better dancers in his family, second only to his older brother, so he had never really given music more than a passing glance. It was something he was good at, so he didn't feel a need to try to find a different way to express himself._ _

__He remembered teaching his younger siblings to dance, from ballroom, to tap, to hip hop, along with Samba, Salsa, and Mambo. He and his older sister had done duets for local competitions, and had even won a few. He and his older brother had choreographed some fun modern dances, that they had performed together._ _

__He could remember times when everyone was sitting in the living room, all in the middle of different activities, but they would all get up when a song someone liked came on the radio. They would laugh and sing along, as off-key as possible for the fun of it, none of them really doing the same thing, though that hardly mattered._ _

__It shocked him when he realized how homesick he was getting just thinking about his family. He talked to his parents almost every day, and he had a group chat with his older siblings so they could send him pictures and stories about all the shenanigans their younger siblings had been up to. However, all of that didn't change the fact that they weren't actually there._ _

__Lost in thought, he almost passed the music room by. He backed up a little and paused outside the door, and was trying gathering up his courage when he heard it. A softly plucked melody, backed by the barely-there whisper of a voice. Lance held his breath, ears straining to listen._ _

_"Slowly fading away_  
_You're lost and so afraid_  
_Where is the hope in a world so cold_  
_Looking for a distant light_  
_Someone who could save a life_  
_You're living in fear that no one will hear your cries_  
_Can you save me now?"_

__Lance recognized the voice as Keith's. But what surprised him was the raw emotion coming from every word. The pain etched into each syllable was heartbreaking._ _

_"I am with you_  
_I will carry you through it all_  
_I won't leave you I will catch you_  
_When you feel like letting go_  
_Cause you're not, you're not alone."_

__Lance barely managed to make out the last few words, as it cut off into silence, and the guitar continued. He slowly opened the door, and found Keith sitting on a stool, hunched over the guitar, eyes closed as his fingers still traveled up and down the fretboard._ _

__He watched as a few tears slipped down pale cheeks, and before he could think, he was wrapping his arms around Keith from behind. He felt the raven stiffen, freaking out for a second before he realized who was hugging him. He didn't say anything, though he relaxed slightly._ _

__"It's okay. You can trust me, I'm here for you and I'm not leaving you alone until you're okay," He whispered softly into Keith's ear, and felt him shudder as a sob bubbled up, barely making it out of the other's mouth before it was choked down. He had started to doubt if Keith had even heard him, when the raven shifted, turning to face Lance just enough to rest his head on the Latino's shoulder. Lance readjusted his arms, pulling Keith closer, and the shorter male just let himself be held. It was a nice feeling._ _

__A half hour later, they had migrated to the floor, sitting side by side. "Do you want to talk?" Lance murmured, glancing down at the other male. Keith sighed, hesitating a moment before nodding. They were quiet for a few more minutes, before Lance finally broke the silence. "You know you could've told me, right? I mean, we do have our code and all..."_ _

__"I know," Keith mumbled, a little ashamed. "I was just so overwhelmed I could barely think straight." Lance nodded in understanding, wrapping an arm loosely around Keith's shoulders, holding him close._ _

__"I get it, trust me I do, but next time, please try to talk to me okay? Things would get so boring if you weren't your usual, crabby self," Lance teased, obviously nervous but trying his best to lighten the mood._ _

__"Yeah," Keith closed his eyes, letting his head fall onto Lance's shoulder once more. Lance absentmindedly brushed raven locks out of Keith's face, blushing a little when he realized what he'd done. He glanced down at his friend, only to find that Keith was sound asleep. He smiled a little, getting as comfortable as possible under the circumstances, trying to let his friend sleep. Lord knew he needed it._ _


	6. One Call Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Keith finally uses the code, Lance is almost too late, the start of plot??? Maybe the author can get it together)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I don't have an excuse? I hope you enjoy this anyways.

_**8.0 RS** _

Keith’s fingers were starting to shake. It was getting hard to think. His hope was dwindling, and he didn’t know what to do. He had enough sense to try to contact Lance, hoping that he would understand. It was too naive to think Lance would rush to his aid, like a knight in shining armor, wasn’t it?

* * *

_**9.0 RS** _

It had almost been an hour since his last text. 49 minutes. 22 seconds. 23, 24, 25. He was down to focusing on the dumb analog clock Shiro had bought him, watching each second tick by, far too slow for his taste, but constant. He needed constant. It was hard to be positive, what was the point of positivity? That was Lance’s job. Lance… Keith closed his eyes for a moment, before jolting them open again. He couldn’t close his eyes. If he closed his eyes, all that would be left was himself. And he couldn’t deal with being by himself. He needed Lance. 

* * *

_**10 RS** _

It took all his strength and concentration to send the last text. It took him four tries to get it right with shaking hands- how useless. An hour and a half had passed since the first text had been first sent- it’s not like Lance cared. How much longer would he be- why would he care about someone so worthless? It was so hard to fight, the metaphorical darkness was turning into real darkness- weak, useless, pitiful- turning into an unstoppable mantra in his head- what’s the point?

* * *

Lance frustratedly banged his head against the table. Pidge was a gremlin dictator, helping him prepare for his finals, while Hunk slipped him food to help him power through. The two were the definition of a good cop/bad cop routine, one practically yelling at him, the other patiently explaining the information once more. It’s not that he was stupid, quite the opposite, but his actual teachers never managed to cater properly to his learning style. 

He had to understand something completely, needed to know how it fits into everything else they were learning, so it took him twice as long to master the material. However, his retention rate after the initial understanding was phenomenal, so he usually did well on tests.

The second he stepped through the door Pidge had immediately confiscated his phone, ‘eliminating distractions’ as she called, so by the time he finally got Keith’s first text, two hours had elapsed. He immediately stood, his face paling further with each message, as he collected his stuff. Pidge walked back in, cookie in hand, just in time to witness him slinging his backpack over his shoulder. She bristled, about to lecture him, before she looked at him properly. One glance at his face had her deflating.

“Is it Keith?” She asked grimly, and at his nod had her motioning him to wait, disappearing into the kitchen and coming back with a bag of cookies, accompanied by a concerned Hunk. Lance smiled and silently thanked them both for understanding, leaving Pidge to shut the door behind him.

When he reached the apartment Keith and Shiro shared, Lance used the hide-a-key to get inside. Finding most of the place dim, he was forced to find Keith’s room primarily by feel alone. It took all his concentration not to trip over shoes and other obstacles that had been left lying around.

Gently knocking on Keith’s slightly ajar door before pushing it open, he noticed that the room was also dark. After giving his eyes a moment to adjust, he started to make out a figure curled up in the far corner of the messy bedroom. Lance pulled the door shut quietly, making his way over to Keith, who appeared to be having a severe panic attack.

Making sure to keep his distance, Lance knelt down in front of the shaking male directly in front of him. “Keith?” He whispered, wincing at himself for disturbing the eery quiet of the apartment. Keith flinched at the sudden sound, curling in on himself more. “Oh, no, it’s just me, it’s Lance.” He kept his tone as soft as possible, relieved when Keith uncurled slightly to peek up at him, still shaking profusely.

“L-L-L,” Keith tried to pronounce his name, and Lance’s heart ached, looking on at the state his friend had been reduced to.

“It’s me, I’m here,” he gently hushed his friend, wanting, no, _needing_ to reach out and comfort Keith. He knew he couldn’t though, not until Keith had told him it was alright. “Can I touch you?” He asked, desperate for a positive indication.

A pause. An endless, awful pause, but finally Keith nodded his assent. Lance slid closer slowly, aware that sudden movements would only work Keith up further. He gently put an arm under Keith’s knees, using his other hand to support Keith’s back as he pulled the raven into his lap, rocking him gently. Lance crooned softly when Keith let out a few ugly sobs, curling closer and digging his fingers into Lance’s shirt, holding fast. 

Lance sat and just held Keith, rocking back and forth. After a few minutes, he started humming, feeling Keith relax at the comforting vibrations. Not long after, he started actually singing the words, just loud enough for Keith to hear but not loud enough to be overwhelming. Keith continued to cry, but Lance knew that he was listening.

_“And when you're weak I'll be strong  
_ _I'm gonna keep holding on  
_ _Now don't you worry, it won't be long, Darling  
_ _And when you feel like hope is gone  
_ _Just run into my arms_

_I'm only one call away  
_ _I'll be there to save the day  
_ _Superman got nothing on me  
_ _I'm only one, I'm only one call away  
_ _I'll be there to save the day  
_ _Superman got nothing on me  
_ _I'm only one call away.”_

He repeated the chorus over and over, his silent apology mixing with a renewed promise, humming it to himself even after Keith had fallen asleep.

“I'm only one call away-” Lance abruptly fell silent, his jaw setting as he watched the soft, hitching rise and fall of Keith’s chest. He _wouldn’t_ be late again. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I actually do have plans for the rest of this? If I can pull it off...
> 
> Next part should directly follow this, if I can find the motivation. It IS started though, so that's something, right?

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! Let me know what you think, comments make me happy, and (constructive) criticism is strongly encouraged and appreciated!


End file.
